A Void of Magic (Kennedy Rain, #1) by Sandy Williams – Review

Tags

4 stars, Book Review, cliffhanger, paranormal, Sandy Williams, urban fantasy, vampires, werewolves

About A Void of Magic by Sandy Williams

They trusted her to keep the peace between the paranorms. They made a mistake.

Kennedy escaped the family business when she turned eighteen. Now, an ill-timed vacation pulls her back to The Rain Hotel, the only known null zone on the planet. It’s a place where vampires can see the sun rise and werewolves can avoid the lure of the full moon. And it would be the perfect place for a paranormal wedding…if the bride wasn’t the local alpha’s daughter and the groom the scion of a vicious master vampire.

With a sexy werewolf determined to sabotage the wedding and dark forces threatening The Rain, Kennedy’s life is thrown out of balance when she’s forced to confront a past she swore to avoid. Ultimately she must choose: will she maintain the stability of the supernatural world…or will she destroy it.

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Review of A Void of Magic

Kennedy was born into the Rain family.  Rains have run the Rain Hotel for generations.  The hotel is a refuge for paranormals.  There are rules that govern the hotel, the people that run it and the people that visit it.  The rules created a rift between Kennedy and the hotel when she was younger.  Now, her attempt to stay away from that life has been thwarted by her parents.  And so the stage is set.

Not being much of a YA/NA reader, I was a little worried when I started reading this book since the main character is college aged.  However, Kennedy is a mature character that does not exhibit the angst of youth.  Not that she doesn’t have any problems – she has a million problems.  Between a job, school and covering for her parents while they are on vacation, Kennedy has way more than she can adequately handle at the moment.  Setup for disaster.  Maybe disasters.

Sandy Williams’ heroines tend to be of very strong mind.  Kennedy is no exception.  She has developed the mental ability to stand up against the werewolves and vampires around her – despite her youth and being human.  I love this about her since typical paranormal fiction tends to depict humans as soooo inferior to the paranormals. 

Two of the main paranormal characters are Nora and Blake.  Both are thorns in Kennedy’s side, but both have their moments and could possibly become friends.  Or more, in the case of Blake.  It will probably take more than one book to determine their true natures.  

I loved everything about this book – except for the ending.  Yep, it’s a cliffhanger.  Very few of the plotlines are wrapped up.  The only thing resolved is my need to read the next book as soon as possible.

Thanks to the publisher who provided a copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts (Steampunk Proper Romance, #4) by Nancy Campbell Allen – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, Cinderella, fairy tale, Nancy Campbell Allen, romance, series, Steampunk, vampires, werewolves

About Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts by Nancy Campbell Allen

Emmeline O’Shea is determined to save the world—single-handedly, if necessary. A strong voice for societal reform, she is the natural choice to deliver a key speech at the end of the International Shifter Rights Organization’s week-long Summit in Scotland.

But when a death threat arrives at Emme’s home, she is immediately placed into protective custody, watched over by none other than her personal nemesis, Detective-Inspector Oliver Reed. The two have crossed paths many times, with disastrous results, but now they will have to work together in order to reach the Summit before midnight of the last day in order to ensure legislation is passed to protect the Shifter community.

As unseen enemies close in around Emme and Oliver, they struggle to reach Edinburgh by any means necessary, only to find Emme’s vindictive stepsister, Oliver’s vampire brother, and a dangerous political minefield awaiting them in Scotland.

Even more difficult is their own refusal to admit that the fiery animosity that once burned between them might be turning into the heat of romantic passion. Could a straitlaced policeman determined to uphold the law and an outspoken activist willing to break the rules ever find true love? Or will all their dreams shatter like glass when the clock strikes midnight?

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Review of Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts

You know the story, don’t you?  The evil stepmother and stepsisters try to keep Cinderella from happiness but their plot is foiled by a fairy godmother.

In this steampunk retelling of Cinderella, the role of the prince is played by a policeman, Oliver, and Cinderella is played by a social activist, Emme.  In this case, Emme’s mother remarried so there is a stepfather and two stepsisters.  Yes, the role of the fairy godmother is filled too, and there is a carriage and a ridiculous pair of shoes.

I loved this story.  Mainly, I enjoyed the relationship between Oliver and Cinderella.  What starts out as contentious becomes friendly and then affectionate and then so much more.  With just a little ongoing contentiousness to keep things real.  These two characters are good for each other and great for the story!  Many people contrive to keep Emme from reaching the International Shifter Rights Summit.  The dangerous adventures of Emme and Oliver make for a suspenseful story and a thrilling reading experience.

Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts is the fourth book in Nancy Campbell Allen’s Steampunk Proper Romance series. I’ve enjoyed the entire series so I can tell you that each book stands alone, though successive books do reference events and characters of previous books. Read one, or read them all!

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Hunting in Bruges (Hunter’s Guild, #1) by E.J. Stevens – Audiobook Review

Tags

5 stars, Anthony Bowling, audiobook, Belgium, Book Review, Bruges, E.J. Stevens, ghosts, Melanie A. Mason, paranormal, series, vampires, witches

About Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stevens

The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.

Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters’ Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there’s no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects. On second thought, maybe Bruges isn’t so bad after all. With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters’ Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city’s scenic canals.

With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter. Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions–but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy. Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters’ Guild urban fantasy series set in the award-winning world of Ivy Granger.

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Review of Hunting in Bruges

5 stars for the narration and for the story. Two narrators, Melanie A. Mason and Anthony Bowling, do a wonderful job of bringing this story to life. Having listened to more than one book from E.J. Stevens and this narration team, I am ready to listen to the next book!

But before that, I should talk about this book.  Bruges, a city I know next to nothing about, is the colorful location for this paranormal mystery.  Full of ghost, ghouls, vampires and many other supernatural creatures, there is no lack of action for our valiant Hunter and her friends.  Ivy Granger readers might recognize Jenna LeHane.  In Hunting in Bruges, Jenna is the star.

Several secondary characters add depth, humor and motivation to the story.  Jenna’s mysterious stranger (as mentioned in the book blurb) is totally charming and certainly adds a light-hearted tone to an otherwise dire situation.  The overall story has a resolution but also sets the reader up for the ongoing story of the war with the supernaturals.

Thanks to the author who gave away some audiobooks.  I was please to get this one!  My review is my honest opinion.

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